A Return to Innocence
by Sandstorm3D
Summary: It was a question she asked him every time they met, and every time he replied the same way...but maybe this day was different.


**-Return to Innocence-**

"You know…you could do it…"

Boomer held back a sigh as he kept his gaze focused on the sky overhead.

All he wanted to do was sit and watch the clouds float by, not think, not discuss…simply sit and do absolutely nothing. That wasn't too much to ask for right? He deserved at least this small, little concession didn't he? But then again, since when had any of his wishes ever come true?

"No I couldn't" He muttered, not glancing in his partner's direction.

"And why not?" She countered back quietly.

"You know why not, it's just…look just drop it okay?"

She let out a vexed sigh but mercifully gave into his plea. A heavy silence fell in between them, souring the relaxed atmosphere.

It took all of his willpower to keep from turning his head and looking at her. He didn't like doing this, but when would she finally understand? Things were just the way they were and they couldn't be changed. It was useless to question the what ifs and ponder over all the different possibilities that might happen.

Life was what it was…. and sometimes that didn't include lollipops and rainbows.

Familiar pangs of bitterness began to creep into his mind and a small, sardonic smile sprung up on his lips. It was always the same with these secret rendezvous. He didn't even know why he kept bothering to come anymore.

Always the same questions, always the same crazy notions of what if? Nothing ever changed.

Minutes ticked by and slowly he began to find the silence disquieting. He didn't like silence, not when he was with her. His entire life was practically ruled by the notion, this was supposed to be the time he could escape from it. The time he could say what he wanted to say, without fear of rebuke or mockery.

It shouldn't have been this quiet.

He felt his resolve crumple. Oh so slowly, he allowed his eyes to tear themselves away from the purple sky and drift to the young lady sitting beside him on the rooftop edge.

She wasn't looking at him.

Instead, her eyes were focused firmly on the ground hundreds of feet below. She kicked her feet idly as the wind tugged at her hair and caused it to flutter across her face. The fading sunlight cast shades of orange and reds onto the normally blonde locks. Dancing in the wind, it almost looked like a flame.

It didn't seem to bother her in the slightest as she sat there, watching the hustle and bustle of the city streets from afar. Behind her, dark purples and blues began tugging at the horizon line. Slowly, the sun was sinking lower and lower…and with it came the night.

The Blue Ruff couldn't help but think of how oddly symbolic the whole scene was.

What was his life but one of encroaching darkness in the presence of an everlasting twilight? And that of course, meant that the blonde beside him was the only source of light in his dim existence. Brightly correlating with the flame she so justly represented at this moment in time.

...Damn it all. He hated it when he got this introspective and 'deep'. It meant he was about to concede. In fact…yep, there went the last of his resolution.

Boomer sighed lightly as he looked at his counterpart's profile. "…Why is this so important to you?"

She didn't turn towards him, instead she lifted her head and took in the sun's last rays. "The question you should be asking, is why _isn't_ this important to _you?_"

"It is important to me, you know that." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"Well it doesn't seem like it." She finally acknowledged him, glancing his way from the corner of her eyes with a frown on her normal smiling features.

"Cause it won't change anything! We discuss this every time and every time it's the same thing! You know why I can't!" Boomer exclaimed as he fell backwards onto the rooftop.

The sight of the city's massive skyline disappeared and his eyes took in the fullness of the sky as the stars began waking up from their slumber.

"But you haven't even tried! How can you know until you've given it a chance?" She argued back, turning her body to face him.

"I just know it won't work okay? Nothing else to it…I mean come on! Really? Do you honestly think that would go over well with _anybody_ in this damn city?" He huffed.

Her response was slow in its coming. Hesitantly she looked out across the span of the metropolis in which they sat and sighed.

"That's what I thought." Boomer muttered.

He folded his hands behind his head and watched the last vestige of the sun's glory fade from the sky. The oranges and reds bled away to the dark purple of night. Together they sat there in another uncomfortable silence as time slowly ticked by.

But what else could he say? There was nothing _to say._

…Still, it made him feel bad to know that they had spent most of their time together bickering about things that really held no relevance. He shouldn't have been so defensive about it, hell! He should have been used to it by now.

It was just…today had been particularly bad. It wasn't just physically draining but emotionally so as well. All he wanted was to come here and forget about it all, but Bubbles being Bubbles couldn't let it go.

Every single time she had to ask the same question, over and over. He didn't know if she actually expected him to finally give in if she pressed the issue enough or if she had asked it so often that it had become rote, but he did know that his answer had yet to change.

It couldn't change really.

If it was entirely up to him with none of the extraneous circumstances of his life dictating his decision then he would have leapt at the opportunity in a heartbeat. What wasn't to love about the offer?

Freedom? Peace? A chance at a fresh start with someone who actually enjoyed his company?

All the desires of his heart could be fulfilled with just one little decision…but the price of that first step was simply too much. He couldn't take it, no matter how much he wanted too. It would only end badly…for the both of them.

"What if…"

Boomer almost let out another sigh as she started again, but something in the tone of her voice stopped him. It held a note of…uncertainty? Fear? He couldn't really tell. He switched his gaze from the stars above and looked towards Bubbles.

She still sat, perched on the ledge, looking down below. Taking one deep, steading breath, she slowly turned her head towards him and captured his eyes.

"…What if it didn't matter?"

Boomer's brow scrunch in confusion and he sat himself back up. "What do you mean? What wouldn't matter?"

She waved a hand out towards the city surrounding them. "This, them down there, _everybody_. What if they never knew? Would you do it then?"

"How wouldn't they know Bubbles? I'm a Rowdyruff Boy, it'd be kind of obvious. It's not like I could hide who I am from anyone here."

He thought she would have left it at that, but an anxiously look took over her face and she bit down gently on her lip. It looked like she was about to do something that she might come to regret. Boomer didn't like those kinds of looks very much. He narrowed his eyes as she looked away from him.

"…What if we weren't here anymore?"

Like a flip of a switch, everything came together and connected in his mind. In less than the span of a breath, Boomer realized what she was implying…and it was _definitely_ something that she'd come to regret.

"Oh no, you can't be serious! Bubbles would you listen to what you're-"

He reached out to grab her arm and turn her back towards him, but the blonde intercepted him with an upraised hand. The words died on his tongue as she stared at him. An intense fire illuminated those crystal blue eyes and he found himself mesmerized. A long moment passed before she spoke.

"What then? Would you do it?"

The weight of her words pressed down on him and the intensity of the moment made the air seem suffocating. This was wasn't some theoretical question any longer, no, this was serious. _She_ was serious. What he said would alter not only their own lives but those that were closest to them.

Hell, given their position, it could alter the whole damn city.

How would he answer? How _should_ he answer? She had posed a scenario that he had never thought about before. He had never even dream of it.

A new place where no one knew them? A fresh start at an innocent life? It sound all too good to be true. Was it even possible?

Boomer looked up from his study of the pavement roof and caught Bubbles' eye. Her gaze never wavered as she watched him sit there on the edge, both physically and metaphorically speaking. Dozens of emotions danced around in the gateways to her soul, each as clear as a bright summer's day. There was uncertainty and apprehension in those crystal blue orbs, but also hope…a flash of excitement.

In those eyes he caught a glimpse of what the possible future held for him and honestly…he found himself wanting it. In those eyes, he found a strength to want more than what he had been given, to actually choose the path he would follow.

Clearing his throat roughly, the blonde Rowdyruff gently picked up her hand and squeezed it tightly. "If that was case, then I…I…"

…

He couldn't say it.

He couldn't _make_ himself say the words. It was just too much. Just a moment ago, he had been ready to grab a hold of that dream and make it more than a fantasy…but that moment passed and reality came crashing back down.

Even if they did leave, there was no way they could stay hidden. They're siblings would find them, Brick definitely would. And when they were discovered, all hell would break loose. Things would get ten times worse than what they already were.

He wasn't sure he could handle that. It was hard enough to through the days as things stood _now._ If that happened…

Boomer looked back into Bubbles eyes. He could already spot the disappointment settling in them. She knew what his answer was, she always seemed to know. And it hurt him inside that he couldn't change it. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to, but fate always had different plans didn't it?

With a sigh, he reached out and pulled his small counterpart into a tight hug. Leaning back, he laid both of them down on the rooftop and looked up towards the stars. For a long moment he let the silence rest between them, and then…he spoke.

"What you're suggesting is impractical. We can't just abandon everything and leave. You have responsibilities and I, well I have brothers. They'd find me anywhere I'd go and drag me back here. Besides, we both know you couldn't walk away from your sisters, they mean too much to you."

It took less than a heartbeat for her to reply. "If you said yes, I'd leave with you tonight…would you go?"

The sheer honestly in that one simple phrase caused a warm giddy feeling to spread throughout him and a small smile to grow on his lips. It was amazing how genuine she was. Just one sentence was all it took to know her true feelings.

That's what he loved about her, there were no games or masks. What you saw was what you got and the girl practically wore her heart on her sleeves. It was simple, it was reassuring. In his life there was precious little truth to go around but here, with her, he always found it.

Boomer squeezed her tightly and rested his chin on her head. "You're too good for me, you know that?"

She hummed lightly in agreement as she snuggled deeper into his embrace.

The last vestiges of the sunset were completely gone from the darkened sky. Night had fully set in and while Boomer felt the familiar pangs of sadness calling to him from its depths, he found that for once he didn't _want_ to sink down into those familiar, well-trod thoughts of despair and disappointment.

He didn't want to let the night work its magics on him and crush this warm feeling he harbored in his chest. And it was all thanks to the little ball of sunshine he held in his arms.

As Boomer idly stroked Bubbles hair, he couldn't help but wonder…what would it be like if they _could_ leave? If he could take that new start she promised and follow his own heart. Maybe it was time for him to step out of the darkness he had submerged himself in and walk out into the light of a new sunrise.

And she'd be right at his side, like when they were younger…before it all had fallen apart. A return to simpler times where joy was easily found and deep metaphorical thinking wasn't even a stray thought in his mind.

A return to innocence….yeah, maybe it _was_ time…

"…You never answered my question…will you go?" The blonde in his arms said as she shifted and raised her head.

He looked down into eyes that mirrored his own but were oh so much brighter and smiled softly.

There was really only one answer he could give.

**Fin**

* * *

**A/N: Yep, that's the end. As to what answer Boomer actually gave Bubbles, well I'll let you fill in the blanks for that one. As well as everything else that I didn't explain because I honestly have nothing more than the vaguest of notions about it all.**

**So yeah, this was just a little one shot that popped into my mind yesterday during my lunch break and I blame it all on the song Return to Innocence by Enigma. All the feels that song produces. Plus, it was kind of nice to take a little break my my other story, Misconceptions, and get this plot bunny out of the way. If you liked it, let me know in a review. I always appreciate feedback :D So yeah.**

**Fin~**


End file.
